Chapter 1: I Will, I Won't, I Want: What Willpower Is, and Why It Matters
-" 'I will' and 'I won't' power are the 2 sides of self-control, but they alone don't constitute willpower. To say no when you need to say no, and yes when you need to say yes, you need a third power:
the ability to remember what you really want."
* This is such a powerful reminder. It's imperative to reach our goals! Sometimes we think we want that cookie, to sleep in, or to eat out...well at least these are the things I often think I want. But its so powerful to know that what I REALLY want is to reach my highest fitness potential, I want to complete my workout by 8am, and I want to feed my family nutritious meals around our dinner table. I only want these things in that very moment, and they pass very quickly, if I allow myself to stop and reevaluate my goals. This book has taught me the benefits of meditation. I'll be honest, I need to be much better at practicing my meditation but I know when I do, that I am much better equipped to meet my goals.
-"Breath focus is a simple but powerful meditation technique for training your brain and increasing willpower. It reduces stress and teaches the mind how to handle both inner distractions (cravings, worries, desires) and outer temptations (sounds, sights, and smells).
Here's how to get started:
1. Sit still and stay put. You're learning not to automatically follow every single impulse that your brain and body produce.
2. Turn your attention to the breath. Begin to notice your breathing. Silently say in your mind 'inhale' as you breath in and 'exhale' as you breath out. When you notice your mind wandering (and it will), just bring it back to the breath.
3. Notice how it feels to breathe, and notice how the mind wanders. After a few minutes, drop the labels 'inhale/exhale.' Try focusing on just the feeling of breathing. When you notice yourself thinking about something else, bring your attention back to the breath.
-Start with 5 minutes a day."
*I am making it a goal to apply these meditation techniques as often as possible. With little children needing me I may need to shorten my sessions, but I know every bit will help strengthen my will power muscle.
Chapter 2: The Willpower Instinct: Your Body Was Born to Resist Cheesecake
-"Sometimes your instincts are pushing you toward a potentially bad decision. What's needed, therefore, is protection of yourself by yourself. The most helpful response will be to slow you down, not speed you up. This is what the plan-and-pause response does. By keeping you from immediately following your impulses, the pause-and-plan response gives you the time for more flexible, thoughtful action."
*I have learned that when I am tempted to make a bad decision, it is impulsive. If I allow myself time to slow down, and give thought to my goals, then rest assured I make the better decision.
-"Exercise turns out to be the closest thing to a wonder drug that self-control scientists have discovered."
*Couldn't agree more with this!!! It is absolutely my miracle drug! I also love this helpful tip...
-"If you tell yourself that you are too tired or don't have the time to exercise, start thinking of exercise at something that restores, not drains, your energy and willpower."
*We all know that we feel better after working out. Sometimes it takes drowning our excuses out and just mechanically driving to the gym and before you know it, the workout is done. Rest assured you'll feel completely rejuvenated afterwards.
-"When you're tired, your cells have trouble absorbing glucose from the bloodstream. This leaves them underfeed, and you exhausted. So for better willpower, go to sleep already."
*Amen!!! I do not function on little sleep, so this one is so easy for me to accept! The only difficult part is having the willpower to go to bed at a decent hour in order to get my butt out of bed for early morning workouts.
...I can't wait to share my reviews of the rest of this powerful book. Stay tuned!
